As the Nationals inch closer to securing their fourth National League East title in six seasons, manager Dusty Baker wants things largely to remain the same. But there comes a balance when deciding whether to utilize certain players and rest others.

Jayson Richard Werth Bio Info

Jayson Richard Gowan Werth...Is a 1997 graduate of Glenwood (IL) High...Hit .652 with 15 home runs in just 31 games...Signed on to play baseball and attend the University of Georgia before signing professionally with the Orioles...Grandfather, Dick "Ducky" Schofield played 19 big league seasons (1953-71) for eight teams...Uncle, Dick, played shortstop for 14 big league campaigns (1983-96) with CAL, NYM, TOR and LAD...Mother, Kim Schofield Werth, competed in the US Olympic Trials in the long jump and 100 meters...Is stepson of Dennis Werth, who played portions of four MLB seasons with the Yankees and Royals from 1979-82.

2016

In his sixth season in Washington, clubbed at least 20 home runs for the sixth time in his career...His 21 home runs were his most since 2013 (25)... Hit .280 with 17 doubles, 16 home runs, 52 RBI, 48 walks, a .375 on-base percentage and a .489 slugging percentage in wins in 2016...Put together a 46-game on-base streak from June 20 to Aug. 18... With an RBI-double on Aug. 18 at Atlanta, he extended the streak to 46 games, tying Rusty Staub (8/24/1969 to 4/25/1970) for the longest on-base streak in franchise history (Nationals/Expos) and extending his Nationals record (2005-present)... Werth's streak was tied for the longest in the MLB in 2016, the longest since CIN 1B Joey Votto reached base in 48 consecutive games to close the 2015 season (Aug. 11-Oct. 2)...Werth surpassed Ryan Zimmerman, who reached base in 43 consecutive games from April 8-May 25, 2009, for the Nationals (2005-pres.) record...During the streak, Werth collected 43 hits (14 2B, 6 HR) and 32 walks and posted a .382 on-base percentage... Clubbed his 200th career home run, April 19 at MIA (Conley)...Joned Alfonso Soriano (8/13/2006), Adam LaRoche (4/20/2013) and Ryan Zimmerman (9/02/2015) as the only players to hit their 200th career home run in a Nationals uniform, according to Elias...Clubbed a pinch-hit grand slam, May 29 vs. STL (Kiekhefer)... It was just the second pinch-hit grand slam in Nationals history (2005-present), joining Justin Maxwell (9/11/07) at FLA... Had two walk-off hits in four games (6/12 vs. PHI, 6/15 vs. CHI), the shortest span of days between two walk-off RBI for any player in 2016, per the Elias Sports Bureau...Clubbed a game-tying, pinch-hit, two-run home run, Sept. 25 at PIT of former teammate LHP Felipe Rivero...Hit eight home runs in August, most ever as a National & tied his career-high (Sept., 2010)...Ranked second in the National League in games played in left field (131)... CIN LF Adam Duvall ranked first (137)...Recorded a .995 fielding percentage, best among MLB left fielders...Recorded seven hits in the 2016 NLDS, tied for the most in MLB during the DS...Tied teammates Daniel Murphy and Trea Turner as well as TOR 3B Josh Donaldson...Clubbed his 15th career Postseason home run in Game 3 at LAD, a solo shot in the ninth inning off RHP Kenley Jansen.

2015

Two disabled list stints (AC joint surgery and left wrist contusion) limited him to 88 games, his fewest since 2012 (81)...Began the season on the disabled list while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery...Returned in mid-April and appeared in 27 games before being hit on his surgically repaired left wrist by SDP RHP Odrisamer Despaigne, May 15...Returned on July 28...Posted a career-best 29-game on-base streak, Aug. 21-Sept. 20...Hit .298/.403/.588 with nine doubles, eight homers, 20 RBI, 19 walks during the streak...Clubbed fifth-career grand slam, September 14 at PHI (Nola)...Recorded 13th career multi-HR game, Sept. 16 at PHI...Hit third career extra-inning home run, Sept. 14 at PHI (Hinojosa)...Hit four home runs in three games, Sept. 14-16 (5-for-13, 4 HR, 7 RBI)...12 of his 17 hits against left-handed pitchers went for extra bases (7 2Bs, 5 HRs)...In 21 games batting leadoff, hit .318 (28-for-88) with nine doubles, one triple, four homers, 12 RBI, 10 walks and 16 runs scored...Five of his 12 home runs either tied the game or gave Washington the lead...Transitioned to left field, playing in 76 games (73 starts) in left and 14 games (11 starts) in right field.

2014

Played in 148 games, his most since 2011, hitting .292 with 37 doubles (most since 2010), one triple, 16 homers, 82 RBI, 83 walks, nine stolen bases and 85 runs scored....Reached base a team-high 248 times (156 hits, 83 walks, nine HBP)...Was the Nationals' best hitter with RISP (.338, 44-for-130)...Ranked among NL leaders in pitches per plate appearance (3rd, 4.24), on-base percentage (3rd, .394), walks (5th, 83), go-ahead RBI (T5th, 28), OPS (8th, .849) and batting average (9th, .292)...Clubbed his fourth career grand slam, April 9 vs. Miami (C. Marmol)...It was his first grand slam since 2009...Posted two separate nine-game hitting streaks, April 22 to May 2 and May 11-20...Named National League Player of the Month for July after hitting .337 (28-for-83) in July with 11 doubles, six home runs, 24 RBI, 17 runs scored and 14 walks to earn the second monthly citation of his 13-year Major League career...Reached base safely in 27 straight games, one short of a career mark, Aug. 2 to Sept. 6...Hit .330 with seven doubles, four home runs, 20 walks and a .442 on-base percentage during that stretch...Hit home runs in back-to-back games four times...Was 9-for-10 on stolen base attempts, with his first caught stealing coming on Sept. 20 at Miami...Eight outfield assists were his most since 2011 (11).

2013

In arguably the best offensive season by a Washington National, hit 25 home runs, became the 5th qualified National to hit .300 and notched career-high .931 OPS in top campaign of career...was only player to rank among NL's top 5 in slugging percentage (3rd, .532), OPS (3rd, .931) batting (5th, .318) and OBP (5th, .398)...also ranked among NL leaders in runs created/27 (3rd, 7.71), at-bats/HR (6th, 18.5) and home runs (9th)...hit .300+ against LHP (.350) and RHP (.309)...at .326, posted best single-season road batting avgerage in Nationals history...was NL's July Player of the Month (.367, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 1.072 OPS)...1000th career hit was a game-winning 2-run HR, Aug. 10 vs. PHI (W8-5)...hit .375 in interleague play, .340 when leading off an inning, .320 against NL East rivals and .302 with runners on base...hit in every batting slot from leadoff to 6-hole...endured 28-game stay on the DL, May 3-June 4, with a right hamstring strain...led NL right fielders with a .992 fielding percentage...reached the 500-RBI plateau via homer, 3 RBI effort in an 8-7 win on April 10 vs. CWS...by homering twice on both July 22 vs. PIT and July 21 vs. LAD, became the first National (2005-pres.) to hit 2 home runs in consecutive games.

2012Hit a career-best .300 and posted a stellar slash of .387 / .440 / .827 (OBP/SLG/OPS) in 2nd season in DC...season was abbreviated thanks to a
left radius fracture suffered while making a sliding catch, May 6 vs. PHI...missed 75 games...returned Aug. 2 and remarkably batted .312 thereafter...'12 will be remembered, however, for game-ending solo home run in the 10th inning of Game 4 of the NLDS...the memorable blast came on
a full count and on the 13th pitch of an at-bat that included 7 foul balls (all with 2 strikes)...moved into leadoff slot for the first time, Aug. 11 at
ARI...in all, posted a .388 OBP & scored 25 runs in 38 game batting leadoff...hit .300+ at home (.339), against left-handed pitchers (.395), with
none on (.328), none out (.356) and in close and late situations (.383)...laced a game-ending RBI single up the middle to lift the Nationals to a 2-1
victory, April 13 vs. CIN...in doing so, became the first big leaguer since Willie Stargell in '63 to record a game-winning RBI in the 13th inning on
Friday The 13th...May 3 vs. ARI, made 10 putouts to match single-game/9-inning NL record in Washington's 2-1 victory...down 1-0 to former club
in the 5th, blasted game-changing 3-run homer to trigger 7-1 victory vs. PHI, May 5.2011Hit 20 home runs and swiped 19 bags in first season with the Nationals ... led Washington with 74 walks...was successful on 86 percent of stolen-base attempts (19 SB, 3 CS) ... tallied at least 25 doubles and 20 home runs for a third consecutive season ... played top-notch defense in both right (134 games/131 starts) and center field (19 games/17 starts) ... paced NL right fielders with a 2.28 range factor per 9.0 innings ... tied for third in the NL with 11 outfield assists ... when in the starting lineup, Washington went 74-74 ... down 2-0 on April 7 at FLA, triggered eventual 5-3 win in 11 innings with first homer as a National, an opposite-field solo shot in the fourth inning off Josh Johnson ... in first game against former club, homered and doubled to
trigger a 7-4 win on April 12 ... gunned down Andrew McCutchen at home plate to record 27th out and secure a 6-3 win at PIT on April 24 ... celebrated 32nd birthday with a two-homer, four-RBI effort in a 17-5 thrashing of the O's, May 20 at Oriole Park ... went 1-for-3 with 2 RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored, including the winning run in the 10th, in a 5-4 win, July 4 vs. CHI ... accounted for all the scoring in a 3-0 win, July 30 vs. NYM, with first-inning
three-run blast off R.A. Dickey ... reached 20-homer plateau for the 4th straight season via a an eighth-inning solo shot off Jonny Venters, Sept. 23 vs. ATL.2010In final season with the Phillies, batted .296 with an NL-leading 46 doubles, 27 home runs and 85 RBI in 156 games...
established career highs in hits, doubles, extra-base hits (75), runs (106) and slugging percentage (.532)...and thus,
increased slugging mark for the 4th straight season...paced the NL in doubles and pitches seen per plate appearance
(MLB-best 4.36)...also ranked among NL leaders in extra-base hits (tied 4th), runs (tied 4th), slugging percentage (6th),
OPS (6th, .921), on-base percentage (8th), walks (8th, 82), times on base (8th, .253) and total bases (10th, 295)...8
outfield assists ranked 4th among NL outfielders...May 3-9, was named NL Player of the Week (.360, 4 doubles, 4
homers, 9 RBI)...Sept. 9 vs. Washington hit 2nd-career game-ending homer off Drew Storen.2009Selected to his 1st All-Star Game...Led the NL in pitches/plate appearance (4.51), finished
7th in HR (36), T-5th in OF assists (11), T-6th in 4-hit
games (3), T-7th in games (159) and 10th in walks (91)...Set career highs in HR, RBI (99), doubles (26), XBH (63),
runs (98), walks, hits (153), games, at-bats (571) and OF
assists and tied his high in SB (20)...Led all NL players in HR vs LHP (14) and T-3rd in RBI (37)...Became the 4th player in Phillies history with
consecutive 20 HR/20 SB seasons, joining Mike
Schmidt (1974-75), Bobby Abreu (1999-2005) and
Jimmy Rollins (2006-07)...Tied a team record and became the 3rd Phillie in
history with 4 SB in a game, 5/12 vs LAD, joining Sherry
Magee (2x in 1906) and Garry Maddox (1978)...Became the 1st Phillie to steal 3 bases in an inning
since 1980 (Pete Rose)...Slugged his 1st career walk-off HR, 7/21 vs CHI (Jeff
Samardzija)...Reached base safely in 19 consecutive games,
6/23-7/12 (17 H, 21 BB), including 11 consecutive
plate appearances, 6/27-30 (5 H, 6 BB)...Hit his 2nd & 3rd career grand slams: 7/6 vs CIN (Paul
Janish) & 9/16 vs WSH (Jason Bergmann); all 3 of his
career GS have come as a Phillie at CBP...Named NL Player of the Week, 8/17-23 (.440, 5 HR,
9 RBI, 1.160 SLG %)...Set a Phillies record for most HR in one postseason (7)...Slugged 2 solo HR off Andy Pettitte in Game 3 of the
World Series, 10/31 vs NYY2008Set career highs in hits (114), HR (24), RBI (67),
extra-base hits (43), total bases (201), walks (57),
SB (20), at-bats (418) and games (134)...Led all ML players in HR vs LHP (16); overall, hit .303
(47-155), 6 2B, 16 HR, 36 RBI, .652 SLG % vs LHP...Grounded into 2 double plays in 73 situations,
3rd-best among NL players (min. 50 GIDP situations);
has grounded into 2 double plays in 786 plate
appearances as a Phillie...Started a career-high 103 games: 73 in RF, 26 in CF and
4 in LF; started 33 straight games, 8/23-9/27...Became the 9th Phillie in franchise history to have 20
HR and 20 SB in the same season and one of 9 ML
players to accomplish the feat in 2008...Tied his career high in OF assists (9, 2007)...Hit his 1st career inside-the-park HR, 4/21 at COL (Mark
Redman)...Homered in consecutive games, 4/21-22 at COL...Slugged a career-best 3 HR, including his 1st career
grand slam, and tied a Phillies single-game record with
8 RBI, 5/16 vs TOR; became the 1st MLB player with
that many HR and RBI in 1 game since Alex Rodriguez,
4/26/05 vs ANA (3 HR, 10 RBI) and the 1st NL player
since Sammy Sosa, 8/10/02 at COL (3 HR, 9 RBI)...Was on the 15-day DL, 5/23-6/7 (right oblique strain)...Had a career-best 13-game hitting streak, 9/7-19 (.320,
16-50, 2 HR, 9 RBI)...Led all Phillies starters with a .444 avg in the World
Series vs TB.2007Set career highs in RBI (49) and OF assists (9)... Started 63 games: 55 in RF and 8 in LF... Batted .379
(25-66) with RISP and .455 (5-11) with the bases loaded... Had his 3rd career multi-HR game, 5/22 at
FLA... Got hits in 9 consecutive at-bats, falling one shy of the Phillies/NL record,8/26-27... Collected a career-high 5 hits, 8/26
vs SD... Missed one month of the season, 6/29-7/31, on the DL with a left wrist strain... Finished with the 2nd-best AVG (.414)
and tied for 2nd-best OBP (.500) among NL players in August... Batted .329 (56-170), 10 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 39 RBI, .438 OBP and
.512 SLG % in 52 games after coming off the DL... Over an 11-game span, hit .512 (21-41), 10 RBI, 8/26-9/5.2006Spent the entire season on the DL recovering from left wrist surgery, performed in April.2005Entered Spring Training as the potential starting left fielder for the Dodgers, only to battle injuries throughout the season that limited him to 102 games ... Finished the season tied for third on the club with 22 doubles, while his two triples were good for second on the team ... Tied for the team lead with 11 stolen bases, marking the lowest team-leading total since Jim Gilliam's 18 swipes
led the 1958 Dodgers ... Was hit by a pitch from Florida's A.J. Burnett during the first game of the Grapefruit League schedule, breaking a
bone in his left wrist and disabling him for the first 44 games of the season ... Made 36 starts in left field, 23 in center field and 37 in right field ... Tied for second on the team with six outfield assists and did not commit an error in his 107 games played in either corner outfield position ... Had a season-high six-game hitting streak from Sept. 9-16 during which stretch he went 7-for-23 ... Tied a Dodger-season and career high with the four free passes he earned on Sept. 5 vs. San Francisco ... Underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist on Nov. 17 in a procedure performed by Dr. Norman Zemel.2004Acquired just before Opening Day from Toronto in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jason Frasor on March 30...emerged as one of the biggest surprises of 2004, as he batted .262 with 16 homers and 47 RBI in 89 games for the Dodgers...in
his 69 starts, batted .269 (74-for-275) with 15 homers and 44 runs batted in...among
all big league players with less than 300 at-bats, was tied with Tony Clark for the
fifth-most homers (16) behind Justin Morneau (19), Frank Thomas (18), Troy Glaus
(18) and Larry Walker (17)...homered in back-to-back games on three
occasions this season and homered in three
consecutive games once...had six outfield
assists, the second most on the team...went 0-for-1 in his Dodger debut on April 5 vs. San
Diego...had the game-tying single on Oct. 2 vs. San Francisco, one batter before the Dodgers clinched the NL West on a walk-off grand slam by Steve Finley ... Did the bulk of his offensive damage at home, as he batted .275 (41-for-149) with 11 homers and 31 RBI at Dodger Stadium ... Appeared at all three outfield positions, as he played 58 games in left field, 13 games in right and six games in
center field.2003Played in 26 games for the Toronto Blue Jays over which time he went 10-for-48 with 2 long balls and 10 RBI ... May 6, at Texas, he hit his first Major League home run, a 3-run shot, against Esteban Yan
In 18 Florida State League games, he hit .371 with four home runs and 18 RBI ... Finished the season with the Triple-A Syracuse Skychiefs hitting .237 with nine home ruins and 34 RBI.2002Spent most of the season with the Triple-A Syracuse of the International League ... In 127 games with Syracuse, he batted .257 with 18 home runs and 82 RBI to go with 24 stolen bases in 31
attempts ... Recalled from Syracuse on Sept. 1 and made his Major League debut vs. Yankees, going 2-for-4, his first big league hit coming off of David Wells ... Stole his first Major League bag Sept. 10 at Cleveland ... Made his first Major League start in center field vs. Detroit on Sept. 27 ... In 15 games with Toronto went 12-for-46 with 6 RBI, two doubles and a triple.2001Split the season between Single-A Dunedin of the Florida State League and Double-A Tennessee of the Southern League ... Combined, he hit .271 and was second in the Toronto organization in home runs (20) and RBI (83) ... Was fourth in the Southern League in on-base percentage (.387) and fourth in slugging percentage (.499) ... In July was the Topps Minor League Player of the Month after hitting .350 with 18 runs scored, nine doubles, ten home runs and 32 RBI.2000Spent most of the season with Double-A Bowie of the Eastern League where he hit .228 with five home runs and 26 RBI in 85 games ... Hit .254 in April with six RBI and seven stolen bases ... Also played 24 games in Single-A Frederick where he hit .277 with 18 RBI in 24 games.1999Opened the season with Fredrick (A) before advancing to Bowie (AA) in June ... Combined to hit .294 (105-for-357), which was the 3rd best average among Oriole minor leaguers, with four HR
and 41 RBI ... Ranked eighth among all full-season minor league catchers in batting average to go along with his 23 swiped bases in 27 attempts.1998Spent most of the season with Single-A Delmarva in South Atlantic League ... After the Single-A season concluded, was promoted to Double-A Bowie where he would catch the club's final five games and lead them to a perfect 5-0 record when he was behind the dish ... Was named to the Howe Sportsdata's All-Teen Team.1997Began his professional career with
the Gulf Coast League Orioles where
he appeared in 32 games, 21 behind
the plate, eight at first base, twice in
the outfield and as the designated
hitter once ... Finished the season hitting .295
after maintaining his average at
.300 or higher in 20 of the 32 games.